Conducting a third-party reimbursement survey: experience of the Connecticut Nutrition Services Payment Systems Committee.
Third-party reimbursement (TPR) has emerged as a crucial issue for dietetics in the past decade. To investigate the level of TPR being obtained by individuals receiving nutrition services from registered dietitians in ambulatory settings, the Connecticut Nutrition Services Payment Systems (NSPS) Committee conducted an audit. Sixty survey packets were distributed to consulting dietitians in private practice and to dietitians in outpatient nutrition clinics. Twenty dietitians participated in the audit process, providing 99 client responses to the survey. Sixty-seven percent of clients submitted the charges for nutrition services to their insurance companies, but only 17% received reimbursement for the claims submitted. This audit process raised the level of awareness of the state membership regarding the need to aggressively pursue TPR for nutrition services at all levels, and it provided a model for dietitians to use to conduct periodic audits and assess TPR being received by their clients.
Bell
L S
LS
Department of Food Services, Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, Connecticut 06511.
Chavent
G
G
Hessler
N
N
Zehalla
M
M
D003237:Connecticut; D003625:Data Collection; D004045:Dietary Services / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*